Ten intelligent robots were deployed as Custom Officers at three different ports in Guangdong Province, China.
The robots are the first batch to be assigned in the cities of Gongbei, Zhongshan and Hengqin.
Named as Xiao Hai, these robots are capable of seeing, walking , speaking, listening and learning.
China Daily reported that based on specialized customs data, the robots are able to answer questions in 28 different languages and dialects, including Cantonese, Mandarin, English and Japanese.
As they were installed with recognition technology, the Director of Gongbei customs, Zhao Min, said these robots have also the capacity to spot people who are acting suspiciously.
In the event that the robots will not be able to solve certain problem, "customs officials said they will link the robots to their customer service hotline in the future," according to Hindus Times .
The deployment of these robots for security purposes is not the first time for China as another robot was deployed last month at the Shenzhen, the busiest airport in Guangdong province.
Named Anbot, the robot can be seen making "round-the-clock patrols "along the airport's departure hall in Terminal 3, according to the official newspaper of the Chinese Communist Party, People's Daily.
The use of robots for security have been on the rise since 2014, especially among Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and investors. One of the companies which has made use of it is Microsoft.
As a result of the economic slowdown brought by its declining exports, China is diverting its investments on high technology so it can veer away from the manufacture of cheap items.
The deployment of these 10 intelligent robots as Custom Officers of its three ports in Guangdong is a clear indication of this.
